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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Hello everyone,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Shawn Jacobson is fighting bus
service cuts where he lives. He sent me this article and I thought I’d pass it
along.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Melissa<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Jacobson, Shawn D
[mailto:Shawn.D.Jacobson@hud.gov] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, March 25, 2009 12:55 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Jacobson, Cheryl (SBT US); Melissa Ann Riccobono; Gosse, Mike;
lras@sprynet.com; Lewallin@yahoo.com; Deborah A. Brown; Reyazuddin, Yasmin;
nfbmd; nrip@iowatelecom.net; Falloutwest; Teninga, Cheryl A; Adeline Wilcox;
Lobaugh, Matthew C. AGAN (CVN69); debspecialed@aol.com<br>
<b>Subject:</b> FW: you are in the Washington Post<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>This article describes what I
was doing last night, fighting to keep our bus route.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Shawn<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Schmehl, Richard L <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, March 25, 2009 12:07 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Jacobson, Shawn D<br>
<b>Subject:</b> you are in the Washington Post<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Riders
Challenge Bus Service Cuts<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>When
transit officials are forced to cut back on service, they say they pick
reductions that will harm the least number of people. At a public hearing in
Rockville last night, a portion of those least told the transit officials that
they count, too.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Montgomery
County is considering a plan to cut five weekday routes, five Saturday routes
and three Sunday routes starting July 5. Two other routes have segments that
are proposed for elimination, the frequency of service on two more would be
reduced evening service would be reduced on six more.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The
county says the routes have relatively few riders and that in many cases there
are other buses those people can take. The riders who attended the hearing
challenged that on every count. (And by the way, almost all of them think
they're being under counted. They note the number of times they board buses
only to find that the fare box isn't working, or there is no fare box at all.
They say Montgomery County would get a better count or riders, as well as more
money, if it would send out more buses with working fare boxes.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The
best organized challenge came from riders who use the Route 53 bus, a peak
period service between the Shady Grove and Glenmont stations on Metro's Red Line.
Most of those challenging the cut live in Olney. They said they need the 53 to
from their upcounty community to work. One man said he is legally blind and
can't make it to another bus stop.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Others
said they have no realistic transit alternative to the 53, because they don't
own cars. (The existence of a bus line is a rather thin reed on which to hang a
housing decision. This comes up in the debate over whether the Purple Line
should be a bus service or light rail train. Maryland hopes that development will
cluster around the Purple Line stops, but developers would be reluctant to make
plans based on something as movable, or as removable, as a bus route.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Some
who do have cars said they would be forced to drive down Georgia Avenue to the
Glenmont Station. This does two bad things: It adds to the traffic on Georgia
-- like anybody needs to do that -- and it adds to the parking problems at
Glenmont.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>There
were many other passionate defenses of individual bus routes last night. Among
them: People fighting elimination of Route 3, a peak period service between
Takoma and Silver Spring stations via Dale Drive, point out that this is the
only bus that runs along Dale, which has no sidewalks. Those riders would have
to walk to Georgia Avenue or Colesville Road to reach other buses.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Most
people who testify at hearings like this do so in personal terms: This is what
the cuts would mean to me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Ben
Ross, who represents two citizens groups called Transit First! and the Action
Committee for Transit, made the case for all riders in saying that the cutbacks
are "not necessary." Instead of eliminating $4.8 million in transit
service, he said, the county should redirect the $8 million (derived from
parking fines) that it uses to subsidize the cost of parking at its garages.
Instead of helping to keep cars on the road, Ross said, the county should use
that money to help get more people on transit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Use
this link to see the full list of cuts proposed by the county. This does not include
the already approved list of cuts scheduled to take effect on April 5.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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